"10 on 10" December edition...

Here we go with the final 1o on 1o this year…and once again I can't stick to 10 images. These images were actually shot in October and I have yet to find time to share them. Why not now? Nothing like parking your car at a park in the dark, turning on some music and letting the kids go wild. Headlights of a car make for a pretty cool light source.  Dancing in the dark makes for some carefree kids and lots and lots of laughing which is my idea of a good time!

Have I mentioned that this group of photographers that are in this 10 0n 10 blog circle are pretty amazing? They really are and you should defineltly check out Ashely Meiners who is up next in the circle if you want to see some awesomeness.

Thankful…days 16 to 30

I can't believe I made it through the whole month. I had been contemplating a 365 project but after this whole month of posting daily, I'm not sure I'm ready to commit. I shoot pretty regularly anyways. Not sure I want to put that pressure on myself but gives me a new respect for some of my fellow photogs who complete 365 projects. That's a HUGE accomplishment! To see the first 15 days go here.

Day 16/30…all four of them together..healthy and full of life…thankful.

Summer Murdock Photography

Day 17/30…SNOW…thankful it came for the first time this year on a Saturday so you could go enjoy it. You were so excited you ran out in your pjs...

Day 18/30…thankful for her and all the energy & life she brings to our house..and since it's her birthday, this one deserves it's own blog post. More of these on my blog if you care to look here.

Day 19/30…a bonus of daylight savings and getting dark earlier is that my kids go to bed earlier and that's pretty nice somedays. Let the streetlights be the bad guy signaling bedtime instead of me…thankful.

Day 20/30…laziness and lounging…yes I am thankful for it some days.

Day 21/30..shot a few pieces for My Little Jules (an awesome children's clothing website) recently…I am pretty much obsessed with this outfit….the shoes, the pants with the zipper at the ankle and this shirt…thankful for clothes? (yeah it may be superficial but I really do like them), thankful that I am able to do what I do. and thankful for my little ham who is always putting on a show…everywhere we go. More of these coming to the blog soon..

Day 22/30..mid-day naps…even when I'm not the one napping!

Day 23/30…Thankful for 8 year old birthday parties, impromptu dance flash mobs in front of the car on the way to take the party guests home, and lots and lots of laughter

Day 24/30….She's still and quiet for a second.

Day 25/30…snowmen

Day 26/30…thankful for chats on my bed and for shooting from the hip so that I can capture expressions that I wouldn't otherwise as she tells me all about her day at school.

Day 27/30…Thankful for Tuesdays because that is the day she goes to dance…love how excited she is to be there every time.

Day 28/30…snowflake makers who sit at my feet while I prepare Thanksgiving dinner!

Day 29/30…working it out on their own…thankful when that happens (too bad it's not a more frequent occurrence)

Day 30/30…Thankful for Christmas traditions and the memories they create for our family…first up every year is letting each kid pick out their own brand new ornament for the tree. I love how much they enjoy this and the excitement of getting out the ornaments every year is SO much more because of it. It's awesome to look back over the years and see how they have changed simply by seeing what ornament they pick. May sound silly but my kids love our Christmas tree is a different way because of this tradition. We look forward to it every year! —

I have a lot of things to be grateful for! I'm not going to lie…I am grateful I don't HAVE to post and shoot everyday if I don't want to! HA! Thanks for looking!

the little show off...

I recently shot a few pieces for a great online little girls clothing website called My Little Jules. (find them on FB here).  You should check them out. They have a great variety of adorable clothes and super awesome customer service (can you tell I am a fan?)  I pretty much adore this particular outfit and so does she! Seriously, this girl is such a ham and so full of it. She is constantly making me and the rest of our family laugh...

stormy mountain session...

It's about time I blog this awesome family's session. You know I love sunshine so normally I try to reschedule sessions when it's shining but this family was from out of town so that just wasn't  possible. I do have to say that the second best thing to the sun is dark and stormy clouds. They look pretty cool right? I bet you wouldn't be surprised to hear that this session ended in a torrential downpour that left us all SPRINTING for our cars….

I have to say that I LOVE this family sooooooooo much!

Mozi Magazine…"The Lighting Issue"

Today is the day that the Lighting Issue of Mozi Magazine is being released. I was beyond honored when they asked me to write a piece for them. It's a super cool publication. When I found out my image was chosen for the cover? Well, let's just say I was excited (giddy, happy, on cloud nine, thrilled, ecstatic, elated, overjoyed, thrilled, etc). I'll stop because I 'm sure you get the point. You should defineltly head over there and pick up a copy. There are SO many amazing artists in this issue. I am so honored and humbled to be featured alongside them. Mozi has been kind enough to give me a copy to give away to one of you. I'll announce the winner Friday morning. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

That's it…all you have to do to enter is like me and Mozi on Facebook and follow me on Instagram. GOOD LUCK!

Day 18/30 deserves a post of it's own...

VERY THANKFUL DAY 18/30

I decided in honor of this one's big day, I'd blog a whole post just for her….because I'm pretty thankful for her and all her energy in my life! Happy birthday!!!

15 days of thanks...

So I committed to posting an image a day on Facebook for the whole month of November of something I am thankful for. This post is a wrap-up of the first 15 days…well fourteen I guess because I didn't start until the 2nd day of November. I shoot regularly (4 days a week on average) but not daily so this has been a challenge for me. So here is my first half of  giving thanks though pictures...  

2/30...Today I am thankful for the unseasonable warmth outside…and for the sun. Two of my favorite things!

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 3/30….thankful i have a full fridge and that I don't know what it means to be truly hungry (even though my picky kids would disagree). Trying to teach them to be thankful as well!

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4/30…a rare glimpse of this man. I don't share many images of him here and he probably won't be thrilled that I am doing so now BUT he is such a big part of our lives and one of the people that I am most thankful for on this earth. He is a constant source of laughter at our house (yeah he's pretty funny), an amazing Dad (our kids adore him), husband, and provider. He works SO hard for us! He would do anything for me and our kids. He is fiercely loyal and oh so TRUSTWORTHY. I can always count on him…that is HUGE! I am very blessed and thankful!

Summer Murdock Photography SLC Area Family Photographer

 5/30…I'm very thankful that we have such an awesome school within walking distance from my house. The teachers there are amazing and the community is so supportive.

Summer Murdock Photography SLC Area Family Photographer

 6/30…thankful for her hugs. She gives the best hugs,,,the kind of hugs that melt you. Today I was trying to take some head shots of myself (pure torture) then she jumped in the frame and I'm thankful she did. I need more pictures with me and my kiddos.

Summer Murdock Photography SLC Area Family Photographer

y 7/30…sometimes I'm just thankful that the day is almost over and I can lay down…life isn't always rosy and cheery. Parenting can be hard, exhausting, and rewarding all at the same time. Saying I'm grateful for things doesn't mean my life is perfect…it just means I am choosing to focus on the positive. I do have A LOT of positives in my life. And YES somedays i am grateful for the TV which quiets my kids for a bit.

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 8/30…thankful for my EXTREMELY camera shy oldest. Thankful I got to kidnap him from school today and take him to his favorite spot for lunch on his 11th birthday. Thankful it was just him and I. He is a pretty cool kid…and is growing WAY too fast.

Summer Murdock Photography SLC Area Family Photographer

9/30…thankful for lazy lunch at the park days.

Summer Murdock Photograpy

 10/30…thankful for fall (or trying to be). Read more about it here

Summer Murdock Photography SLC Area Family Photographer

 11/30….Chaos….utter chaos at our house sometimes and most of the time I am thankful for it. Thankful for the many times each day it makes me laugh. Just don't ask me how I feel about the chaos at the end of the day when I'm tired.

Summer Murdock Photography

 12/30…thankful for the tooth fairy.

Summer Murdock Photography

13/30…reading and books are a good thing for the imagination.

Summer Murdock Photography

 14/30…thankful for the creative spirit (even when it's messy).

Summer Murdock Photography

 15/30…when you have four kids, there can be a lot of  fighting, bickering, and/or complaining so when I see moments like this I am very, very thankful.

Summer Murdock Photography

Phew, I can't believe I did it and that once I committed I didn't miss a day. Let's see if I can do it until the 30th...

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10 on 10…november edition

I have to admit that I usually spend the fall season mourning the passing of summer. Summer is by FAR my favorite season. Every year when good ol' fall arrives my heart feels a bit heavy BUT looking at these images sure makes me appreciate it a little more. It is quite pretty…even if it is the precursor to the dreaded winter hibernation. Every season has it's benefits and I am going to try to appreciate and be thankful for each one and stop being so single minded when it comes to summertime. So with that I give you my "10 on 10 falling for fall" edition….really it's 14 on 10 but who's  counting? Now head on over to my very, very talented friend Ginger Unzueta and see what she has in store…promise you won't be disappointed by her beautiful images…she really never disappoints!

Kids Were Here …november edition

Life has been crazy lately. I have been struggling to balance everything and these “kids were here” messes haven’t been anything but a bit annoying to my busy self lately. I’m ready to slow down and see these messes for what they are again…an integral part of childhood. A part of life that is very fleeting. Soon I won’t have to clean up melted ice cream sandwiches or step on legos everywhere I walk. I’m a much happier person when I frame the messes this way…and so are my kids. Motherhood….it'a roller coaster in many ways right? My post is short and sweet this time (slackerish might be a better description)…when  you are annoyed by the messes you don't grab the camera before you clean them up..:)

 Be sure to check out Kids Were Here blog to see all my talented friend images together all in one place!

5 Minute Project

I often tell my kids "just give me 10 minutes of cooperation" when I'm trying to capture them. I set my timer on my phone and when the alarm goes off, we are done. It works for us (sometimes). My talented friend Dana Pugh of Short and Sweet Photography has taken this to an even more difficult level and has started a blog called the 5 Minute Project. Different photographers from all over capture what the world looks like to them in just 5 minutes and share it on the awesome blog. I am in love with the concept. I love the challenge of creating quickly and seeing what I can get in such a short amount of time. It's a good creative exercise for me. Here is what my world looks like in 5 minutes...just a regular old evening in our front yard...me chasing my messy faced, tousled hair gal...

Be sure to go check out the 5 minute Project Blog here and visit them on Facebook here! Full of lots of amazing 5 minute views from amazing photographers!

"what _____ looks like" september edition...

I cannot believe my absolute favorite time of the year is coming to a close. I adore summertime. It's the stuff childhood memories are made of. I am a bit of a wanderer. I love to just get in the car and go someone I have never been. My kids are finally getting a bit older...old enough to go on a few little adventures..so last month on a whim I threw them all in the car , stopped at the grocery store,  loaded up with all kinds of junk food, and drove a couple hours to this cool little lake and we almost had the whole place to ourselves. It honestly was one of my favorite days of the whole summer. These images don't even begin to do the day justice but this month I give you "what a day trip looks like"...

Summer Murdock Photography

Now be sure to go see "what ____ looks like" to Kara May of Kara May Photography. I guarantee it'll be a treat!

If this is your first time visiting my blog or if you missed previous editions of "what ____ looks like" go here,  here, here, here, here, and here!

"11 on 11" get in the frame september edition..

In honor of experimentation, letting go...AND getting in the frame...I give you this months "11 on 11"...

And I'll be the first to admit selfies are hard...on many levels! And did I mention I got a new camera? YUP...the Mark III calls for experimentation don't ya think? And I am NOT disappointed with my newest member of the family! Now please go visit my talented, super cool, and all around good person Laura Morita Photography...I promise she won't disappoint!

"10 on 10" september edition...

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This is what you get when your daughter gives you 10 minutes to shoot some images at a location that you are checking out for a client shoot. We literally set the timer on my phone. I'm pretty happy with what we got in 10 minutes. This post could and should be called "10 on 10 in 10".

And yeah, if you saw the family session I posted yesterday this place may look a bit familiar but hey..it's all good right? AND if you've been following my LR learning curve, I edited these  100% in Lightroom...still trying to figure out my groove in that program but I'm getting closer....

Now you must go see what Maria Manco's "10 on 10" looks like...she's pretty awesome if I say so myself!

light, love, and family...

This family was vacationing in Park City and wanted little ol' me to capture their family! I am always honored when someone takes time out of their busy and fun filled vacation schedule and spend it with me. We had LOTS of fun during our session though...can you tell? AND...is it awful to say we lucked out because a wildfire started close by and filtered the light and made it soft and pretty and gorgeous? Yeah it's awful to say but one of the only benefits of wildfires...HA!

xo,

Summer

"kids were here" september edition...

It' time for another installment of KIDS WERE HERE where a group of amazing photographers document the evidence the kids leave behind. This month we all decided that "sometimes one is enough" so we picked our very best image from the month to include for the post and keep it simple this. This was by far my favorite KWH image from the month. My 7 year old is quite creative and whipped up this new outfit for her favorite doll out of nothing but paper in less that 15 minutes after Grandma suggested the kids have a talent show. The girl knows her own talents and I hope she always stays so confident in herself and her abilities. I think she's pretty brilliant but I might be a little bit biased. Be sure to check out all the other amazing photographers on KIDS WERE HERE blog. We'll be back next month with LOTS of evidences that the KIDS WERE HERE.

xo,

Summer

"what ____ looks like" august edtion

My family recently went on a little beach vacation. My iphone camera roll is FULL of images. SO many that I haven't even gone through them all yet. So for this month's installment of "what ____ looks like" I give you "what a beach vacation looks like shot and edited entirely with an iphone". These image are near and dear to my heart. We made some amazing memories and I'm so thankful to have these images to remind me! Who knows maybe next month I'll get around to editing and posting the images from my "real camera"! If you are on Instagram come follow my adventures there. I'm @summer_murdock!

Now you must go see what Jenny Cruger Photography | nashville family photographer's month looks like. I think she has been to the beach too and her images are always a treat!

If this is your first time visiting my blog or if you missed previous editions of "what ____ looks like" and you are wondering what I can do with my other camera go  here, here, here, here, and here!

"kids were here" august edition

Adore this project and love finding the evidences that my kids leave behind. There such beauty in these things that really speak to what their little personalities are all about. I know I will miss seeing the quirkiness of it all someday. This month is a little short. Summer has taken over at our house. We are outdoors enjoying ourselves so forgive me. I will be back next month in full force. Be sure to check out all the other amazing photographers on the KIDS WERE HERE site. You won't regret it.

"look Mom, I'm a unicorn"

So as some of you may have heard I was reported several time by someone for posting "inappropriate" images of babies and toddlers in diapers on my business Facebook page. Facebook disabled my personal account for 24 hours. I was still able to access my business page because I had another administrator (ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS SHOULD MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A SECOND ADMINISTRATOR ON YOUR PAGE). I was given a warning that if I was reported again I would be shut down permanently! I have been so angry and wonder about the intentions of the person who reports pictures of babies as "inappropriate". I start to wonder if this person is deliberately trying to shut down my page. When my page was reinstated tonight, I answered by posting this picture on my business page. It's my rebellious side. My way of saying "you can't tell me what to do". I know, it's a character flaw. After a few comments and likes, I decided to remove it an post it here. Getting my page banned is not what I want. I am very sad that I feel that I cannot post pictures without fear of being reported. What is this world coming to? How is a 2 year old without a shirt considered inappropriate? Makes me sad that it has come to this. But I refuse to let it get to me any more...

"11 on 11" get in the frame (iphone style) july edition...

I'm being a little lazy this month. I just got back from a 10 day vacation/family reunion and I'm worn out (in a good way). I haven't shot a selfie with my "real" camera so I am sharing some of my iphoneography. I have never done that here. It's probably long overdue actually. I HEART my iphone and Instagram (come find me @summer_murdock). I want to be one of those people who carries their DSLR around with them 24/7 but I'm not. I have four kids and my reality is I can barely get everyone out of the car and across the parking lot without an injury or someone getting lost. If I threw my "nice" camera into the mix it would sure to be lost, broken, or spilled on in no time! So I use my iphone when inspiration hits me. I love the challenge of creating interesting images with such a simple piece of equipment. It makes me focus on what is really important in photography and that is light and composition. It has actually really helped me to grow and improve as a photographer. I have to say that it's kind of fun to hush all those people who have ever said "If I had a camera like that, I'd be able to take amazing pictures too". To me my iphoneography proves it's not all about the camera (although a nice one sure helps), it's about the photographer. Period....and I kinda love that. Plus, it instantly satifies my creative impulses. If I feel inspired by something, my phone is always close by. Oh and yesterday I was honored to have my iphoneography featured over at Pictapgo (my fav iphone editing camera app made by the people who make Totally Rad Actions) If you want to see that interview go here! I'm still pinching myself over it!

SO I give you my "11 on 11" get in the frame iphone style this month...all images shot and edited with my iphone from my recent vacation.

And when you are on a road trip and you stop to walk across a bridge to see the AMAZING Colorado River and a passerby asks you if you want a family shot, you accept. Photo credit...some nice man in Arizona!

Wait was that more than 11 pictures? Oh well...who is counting?

Now you have to go visit Christie Hobson who is an amazing photographer (really she is) and in her spare time a comedian. Yup! Well not officially but she is pretty dang funny in my very expert opinion!

In case you have never visited my blog before and wonder if I know how to use my "real" camera you can visit last month's  "11 on 11" circle where I demonstrate that I can shoot with something other than an iphone here! HA

"10 on 10" july edition...

In my quest to let go and capture things as they are in front of me, I give you my "10 on 10" this month (which may or may not be 10 images but who is counting?)

Now please go visit Rowe Timson who is super talented and who lives in BALI! Hello? You won't want to miss her 10...she's always on some kind of adventure!